March Madness: Morehead State is Going to the NCAA Tournament
By Jason Lisk
Conference: Ohio Valley (24-9)
Location: Morehead, Kentucky, located about 50 miles East of Lexington on I-64
Famous Alum: Phil Simms will beat you up if you suggest his alma mater is one of the worst teams in the tournament. If you prefer a more loving alumni connection, then Chuck Woolery is your man.
They’re Back! Best ever result was back in 1961, when they reached the regional semis with a win over Xavier. In 2009, they won the opening round game versus Alabama State before losing to Louisville, 74-54.
School’s Leading Scorer: Ricky Minard (2,381 pts)
Resume: They beat Charleston by 20 back in early January, and lost at Florida by 6, in addition to a 19 point defeat at #1 Ohio State.
Long in the Tooth, Short in the Paint: Morehead State is an experienced team that plays with a short bench. The top 6 players are upperclassmen. They will have one of the shortest lineups in the tournament, as 6’8″ rebounding beast Kenneth Faried (middle, above pic) is the only starter over 6’4″ and will need to stay out of foul trouble.
All-Important Rankings: 91 (RPI), 95 (Pomeroy), 110 (Sagarin)
Projected Seed: Currently a #16 seed (but avoiding the First Four games) but I think they end up a #15 seed with a few inevitable upsets in other one-bid leagues.
Twitter: @MSUAthletics is the official twitter account of the Morehead State athletic department.
Belmont
Morehead State
UNC Asheville
[photo via Getty]